Below are our rankings of America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges—our exclusive list of schools ranked according to how well they help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. The list is created by isolating the social mobility metrics from the main rankings of four-year institutions. Click here for detailed methodology, here for all of our other rankings, and here to download the full data set.

RankName8-year graduation ratePell/non-Pell graduation rate gapNumber of Pell graduatesActual vs. predicted Pell enrollmentNet price of attendance for families below $75,000 income% of loan principal remaining 5 years laterPredicted principal remaining
1Berea College (KY)66%-19%28737%418658%61%
2Simmons College of Kentucky (KY)23%44%120%5656N/A87%
3Wade College (TX)61%100%226%1774776%73%
4Texas A&M International Univ. (TX)*52%4%67212%326867%69%
5Univ. of TX–Rio Grande Valley (TX)*55%-5%210621%328167%72%
6Vanderbilt University (TN)93%-4%2334%574141%41%
7Texas A&M–College Station (TX)*82%-9%2043-1%1354742%50%
8Univ. of Houston–Clear Lake (TX)*69%-5%5064%927868%69%
9North American University (TX)66%17%29-1%1113979%69%
10Tougaloo College (MS)41%8%10225%1357187%89%
11Baptist Univ. of the Americas (TX)26%24%7-4%844359%64%
12Rice University (TX)94%-4%1634%610333%36%
13Univ. of Houston–Downtown (TX)*43%4%10673%824274%69%
14Grambling State University (LA)*45%10%39922%1766787%88%
15King University (TN)73%-9%28112%2115263%61%
16Sam Houston State University (TX)*60%-6%12141%1176065%66%
17University of Texas–El Paso (TX)*49%-9%184120%800871%75%
18University of Texas–Arlington (TX)*57%-2%21975%1245065%67%
19Midwestern State University (TX)*51%-8%278-6%861765%66%
20John Brown University (AR)70%-11%1636%1910749%54%
21Rust College (MS)33%14%1305%1009581%86%
22Texas A&M–Texarkana (TX)*53%-11%15612%892570%69%
23Mississippi Valley State Univ. (MS)*54%-1%102911%1446586%85%
24Northeastern State University (OK)*43%-13%6179%857271%69%
25Alcorn State University (MS)*37%0%24927%1542584%87%
26Texas State Univ.–San Marcos (TX)*61%-10%2057-2%1183261%63%
27University of Houston–Victoria (TX)*53%-6%2201%818671%67%
28Texas Woman's University (TX)*56%-14%8702%748768%70%
29Bryan College (TN)49%-7%620%1424451%58%
30Univ. of Texas–Permian Basin (TX)*49%5%256-13%932461%62%
31University of Texas–San Antonio (TX)*49%1%191610%1033065%64%
32Sul Ross State University (TX)*37%1%2124%1165572%68%
33Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OK)54%-6%1600%2400059%64%
34Wiley College (TX)^^42%-21%31913%1572986%84%
35University of Texas–Tyler (TX)*54%-5%4103%923962%64%
36East Central University (OK)*40%-11%2523%890571%70%
37Northwestern OK State Univ. (OK)*31%-4%113-2%857759%66%
38Tennessee Wesleyan University (TN)55%-13%918%1085162%57%
39Milligan University (TN)67%-2%855%1795554%53%
40West Texas A&M University (TX)*52%-12%5457%1102565%61%
41Alice Lloyd College (KY)35%16%460%1355868%59%
42University of the Cumberlands (KY)63%-12%5281%1475865%62%
43Southwestern Adventist Univ. (TX)48%1%67-2%1841669%65%
44Stephen F. Austin State Univ. (TX)*49%-11%8400%1032167%62%
45Parker University (TX)78%0%2815%2414676%66%
46University of North TX–Dallas (TX)*35%-2%1627%7562N/A76%
47Texas Tech University (TX)*62%-10%1387-6%1293857%56%
48Welch College (TN)44%19%14-10%1982060%58%
49Jackson State University (MS)*45%-12%62818%1490985%89%
50Texas Lutheran University (TX)55%-14%99-4%1699159%57%
51University of Houston (TX)*57%-4%237812%1196160%57%
52University of Texas–Austin (TX)*81%-10%22560%1366846%43%
53Southeastern OK State Univ. (OK)*35%-16%2561%724967%67%
54Prairie View A&M University (TX)*43%-15%62113%1293081%87%
55Centre College (KY)84%-4%532%1617444%41%
56Le Moyne-Owen College (TN)23%-14%8117%917083%87%
57LA State Univ.–Baton Rouge (LA)*68%-15%892-6%1265256%55%
58Mississippi Univ. for Women (MS)*61%-13%2708%1100575%70%
59Jarvis Christian College (TX)20%7%3617%1369286%87%
60University of OK–Norman (OK)*64%-15%9550%1795153%53%
61OK State University–Main (OK)*62%-19%10750%1076056%55%
62Austin Peay State University (TN)*41%-13%61616%1271071%68%
63St. Edward's University (TX)61%-4%28711%2094660%56%
64Middle Tennessee State Univ. (TN)*48%-12%14229%1094267%64%
65Bacone College (OK)^^20%4%430%1837478%78%
66Oklahoma Baptist University (OK)53%-13%1182%1850655%57%
67University of North Texas (TX)*60%-25%23425%924162%61%
68Lincoln Memorial University (TN)60%-12%1126%1267463%62%
69Criswell College (TX)32%-5%135%1376462%62%
70University of St. Thomas (TX)60%-2%1089%1648160%60%
71University of AR–Pine Bluff (AR)*31%-13%2097%1114083%85%
72Howard Payne University (TX)46%-4%78-13%2021663%63%
73Johnson University (TN)58%-7%736%1622362%58%
74University of Kentucky (KY)*64%-17%8692%1408756%54%
75University of Memphis (TN)*49%-16%117313%1195976%72%
76University of TN–Martin (TN)*51%-18%50210%945169%61%
77University of the Ozarks (AR)49%-14%39-6%1225762%60%
78LeTourneau University (TX)53%3%245-3%2070265%56%
79Sewanee–Univ. of the South (TN)81%-1%65-5%2057244%41%
80Lane College (TN)28%-11%19119%1348385%89%
81Mid-America Christian Univ. (OK)37%-4%214-1%1685473%73%
82Christian Brothers University (TN)51%-7%1012%1052867%59%
83Texas A&M–Commerce (TX)*55%-11%779-3%1119872%68%
84Williams Baptist University (AR)41%-6%503%1682862%59%
85Southern Adventist University (TN)58%6%1303%2132360%53%
86Ecclesia College (AR)^^17%6%11-7%1708067%67%
87Lindsey Wilson College (KY)46%-13%29212%1470269%65%
88University of Tennessee (TN)*70%-13%11678%1452356%51%
89Northwestern State Univ. of LA (LA)*40%-12%4631%1163275%70%
90Art Institute of San Antonio (TX)°24%1%621%2141972%70%
91University of Central Oklahoma (OK)*43%-9%7480%1461568%62%
92Art Institute of Houston (TX)22%-3%111-1%2127572%75%
93Tarleton State University (TX)*56%-9%793-7%1711765%63%
94Tennessee Technological Univ. (TN)*57%-13%6567%1406256%55%
95Arlington Baptist University (TX)24%0%14-3%1984965%71%
96Philander Smith College (AR)33%-30%5914%1394186%86%
97Thomas More College (KY)48%-15%58-8%1686260%57%
98Univ. of Arkansas–Fort Smith (AR)*35%-10%317-5%895568%61%
99Southwestern OK State Univ. (OK)*40%-10%202-2%1085261%59%
100Tennessee State University (TN)*41%-16%5366%1087482%85%
101Rhodes College (TN)82%-7%70-3%1796546%39%
102McMurry University (TX)39%-10%1001%1948167%63%
103Henderson State University (AR)*37%-14%24812%1244873%65%
104Kentucky State University (KY)*28%-11%126-5%744485%79%
105Texas College (TX)16%10%522%1610884%84%
106Trinity University (TX)79%-16%84-4%1485236%40%
107Brescia University (KY)37%-8%575%1189266%59%
108Bethel University (TN)45%-9%614-2%1513074%68%
109Arkansas Tech University (AR)*46%-20%502-3%1094668%63%
110Carson-Newman College (TN)51%-12%12710%1636359%57%
111Dallas Christian College (TX)28%10%19-10%2823669%72%
112Wayland Baptist University (TX)47%-9%259-5%2266571%67%
113University of Southern MS (MS)*50%-23%96414%1328074%69%
114Cumberland University (TN)61%-15%107-8%2326361%62%
115Murray State University (KY)*55%-21%5042%1019163%57%
116University of TN–Southern (TN)*37%-9%876%1759666%58%
117Louisiana College (LA)39%-14%591%1293167%63%
118Langston University (OK)*25%-7%13514%1243384%84%
119University of Dallas (TX)68%-17%581%1730046%47%
120Asbury University (KY)62%-11%1074%2285856%55%
121University of Texas–Dallas (TX)*69%-4%100120%1183255%43%
122Dillard University (LA)43%-16%16510%1712784%83%
123Hendrix College (AR)78%-16%7011%1478844%40%
124Transylvania University (KY)74%-5%633%2068649%43%
125Texas Wesleyan University (TX)46%5%1563%2113473%64%
126Randall University (OK)38%-15%144%1511770%71%
127University of Pikeville (KY)54%-20%3426%1546869%62%
128Texas Christian University (TX)79%-5%272-9%2648448%47%
129Southwestern Assemb. of God U. (TX)43%-8%13211%2363668%65%
130OK Panhandle State Univ. (OK)*27%-6%42-12%833066%62%
131Southwestern University (TX)73%-7%81-6%2167444%46%
132Eastern Kentucky University (KY)*48%-18%8366%1245367%62%
133Blue Mountain College (MS)54%-25%525%1136072%58%
134Southeastern Louisiana Univ. (LA)*42%-17%509-2%1105768%65%
135Bellarmine University (KY)66%-12%120-3%2100450%51%
136Central Baptist College (AR)32%-8%36-5%1516471%63%
137Houston Baptist University (TX)44%-12%1539%1866763%61%
138Austin College (TX)70%-7%752%1762950%46%
139LA State Univ.–Alexandria (LA)*28%-11%103-12%709673%67%
140Univ. of TN–Chattanooga (TN)*50%-8%5774%1108264%57%
141Southwestern Christian Univ. (OK)^^35%-12%75-6%1556972%68%
142Tusculum College (TN)38%-13%9911%1566070%65%
143Cameron University (OK)*22%-16%1784%773271%70%
144Oklahoma City University (OK)68%-12%98-2%1971354%51%
145University of Louisville (KY)*53%-14%7361%1434262%59%
146Belmont University (TN)71%-11%200-3%2638747%49%
147McNeese State University (LA)*45%-13%292-7%1063670%63%
148LA State Univ.–Shreveport (LA)*35%-11%1470%825075%66%
149Freed-Hardeman University (TN)56%-20%813%1465056%54%
150Art Institute of Austin (TX)20%-2%97-2%2338372%71%
151Morehead State University (KY)*48%-17%4750%1100571%59%
152Lamar University (TX)*38%-16%514-1%1065073%71%
153Northern Kentucky University (KY)*46%-18%545-3%666064%61%
154Delta State University (MS)*40%-11%207-8%1202773%66%
155Paul Quinn College (TX)14%-29%1218%1337586%83%
156St. Mary's University (TX)60%-12%25312%1707767%57%
157William Carey University (MS)55%-8%2815%1597677%69%
158Univ. of Science & Arts of Okla. (OK)*41%-28%47-8%675767%63%
159Angelo State University (TX)*40%-13%355-12%1104264%62%
160Kentucky Wesleyan College (KY)41%-14%5410%2058862%56%
161Millsaps College (MS)67%-4%35-16%2000156%54%
162Huston-Tillotson University (TX)28%-19%667%1605382%81%
163East Tennessee State University (TN)*50%-20%76711%1119366%60%
164Oral Roberts University (OK)46%-14%1574%1924165%65%
165Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)53%-12%149-2%1552658%60%
166Nicholls State University (LA)*46%-20%2440%1070869%64%
167Southern Methodist University (TX)79%-9%241-1%2767250%43%
168East Texas Baptist University (TX)38%-11%83-1%2017964%61%
169Harding University (AR)65%-16%204-7%1633353%50%
170Southern Nazarene University (OK)41%-24%384%1617762%61%
171University of LA–Monroe (LA)*46%-16%354-4%965971%68%
172Our Lady of the Lake San Antonio (TX)48%-6%17411%1693072%67%
173Oklahoma Christian University (OK)51%-14%75-4%1703548%51%
174Loyola University–New Orleans (LA)58%-14%1712%1754761%58%
175Southern Univ./A&M College (LA)*36%-16%3197%1616385%89%
176Univ. of Mary Hardin–Baylor (TX)48%-14%2054%2396559%60%
177Hallmark University (TX)44%-14%177%1025869%61%
178University of Mississippi (MS)*63%-20%1077-3%1083065%55%
179Maryville College (TN)57%-15%913%1628956%50%
180Texas Southern University (TX)*29%-9%46612%1909485%88%
181Xavier University of Louisiana (LA)46%-21%18313%1869479%74%
182Rogers State University (OK)*23%-12%114-2%1358871%63%
183Lee University (TN)53%-16%2266%1618865%54%
184Crowley's Ridge College (AR)38%-7%202%1340270%59%
185Southern Univ. at New Orleans (LA)*34%-22%167-1%888885%87%
186Midway University (KY)41%-1%773%2081771%62%
187Union College (KY)35%-17%685%1667370%66%
188Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (TX)*46%-11%5975%1622267%64%
189Texas A&M–Kingsville (TX)*45%-13%5314%1207969%66%
190South College (TN)35%1%915%1757171%69%
191University of Arkansas (AR)*63%-19%896-5%1347258%52%
192Schreiner University (TX)52%-5%72-4%2262960%57%
193University of New Orleans (LA)*41%-5%342-4%1049568%63%
194Campbellsville University (KY)39%-18%168-8%1760866%64%
195University of Central Arkansas (AR)*44%-19%48212%1441569%63%
196Univ. of the Incarnate Word (TX)53%-8%4971%2221370%66%
197So. Arkansas Univ.–Main (AR)*40%-17%1997%1365373%63%
198Spalding University (KY)44%-17%1160%2196873%62%
199Arkansas State Univ. (AR)*50%-21%7007%1226273%64%
200University of LA–Lafayette (LA)*52%-19%677-3%1063166%61%
201Concordia University–Texas (TX)46%-16%1171%2142464%61%
202Dallas Baptist University (TX)57%-16%123-4%2376764%58%
203Abilene Christian University (TX)63%-14%144-9%2502053%53%
204Western Kentucky University (KY)*48%-21%8170%1239368%61%
205Univ. of Arkansas—Monticello (AR)*31%-32%1204%1058973%70%
206Kentucky Christian University (KY)26%-14%27-15%1867268%65%
207Hardin-Simmons University (TX)50%-21%100-1%1779264%58%
208Miami Int. U. of Art/Design–Art Inst. Dallas (TX)19%-12%651%2138076%72%
209Centenary College of Louisiana (LA)53%-10%44-7%2081152%51%
210Georgetown College (KY)55%-14%65-7%1575659%49%
211Louisiana Tech University (LA)*49%-17%298-11%942061%56%
212Union University (TN)67%-16%2002%2751054%55%
213Belhaven University (MS)42%-11%205-3%1645876%73%
214Ouachita Baptist University (AR)65%-22%83-11%1732751%47%
215University of Tulsa (OK)70%-20%102-3%1868047%48%
216Baylor University (TX)76%-13%5640%2822653%46%
217South University–Austin (TX)°22%0%13-11%2348577%73%
218Mississippi State University (MS)*60%-24%9992%1481366%57%
219University of Holy Cross (LA)39%-35%51-12%1335573%70%
220Lyon College (AR)47%-2%51-3%1658358%53%
221Lubbock Christian University (TX)53%-21%1263%2255264%56%
222Lipscomb University (TN)61%-15%144-3%2208851%50%
223Amer. InterContinental U.–Houston (TX)29%-26%367%1518680%83%
224University of AR–Little Rock (AR)*39%-29%475-2%1381474%72%
225Fisk University (TN)37%-26%5216%2414086%80%
226Tulane University (LA)67%-8%202-11%2150455%44%
227Mississippi College (MS)53%-25%180-8%1565970%55%
Definitions:
Pell/non-Pell graduation gap: graduation rate for Pell students minus the graduation rate for non-Pell students; a positive number indicates that students who receive Pell grants graduate at a higher rate than those who don’t, and vice versa.
* = public
° = for-profit
^^ Under heightened financial monitoring by the U.S. Department of Education